Basics of Network Theory (Part-I)

1. A square waveform as shown in figure is applied across 1 mH ideal inductor. The current
through the inductor is a ……. wave of …… peak amplitude.

1V

0 0.5 1
t (m sec)

-1

[Gate 1987: 2 Marks]

1V
1
0.5 1.5 t m sec

𝟏 𝒕
Ans. The current through the inductor is 𝒊𝑳 = 𝑳 ∫𝟎 𝒗𝒅𝒕. The integration of a square wave
is a triangular wave so the current through the inductor is a triangular wave of 1
volt peak amplitude. Slope of triangular wave is ±2

2. Two 2H inductance coils are connected in series and are also magnetically coupled to
each other the coefficient of coupling being 0.1. The total inductance of the combination
can be
(a) 0.4 H (c) 4.0 H
(b) 3.2 H (d) 4.4 H

M
L1 L2
2H 2H

Ans. (d)
 The equivalent inductance 𝑳𝒆𝒒 = 𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳𝟐 ± 𝟐𝑴

= 𝟐 + 𝟐 ± 𝟐 × 𝟎. 𝟏√𝟐 × 𝟐

𝑴 = 𝑲√𝑳𝟏 𝑳𝟐 = 𝟒 ± 𝟎. 𝟒

= 𝟒. 𝟒, 𝟑. 𝟔

3. The current i4 in the circuit of Figure is equal to

i1 = 5A i2 = 3A

i0 = 7A
I

i4 = ? i3 = 4A
(a) 12 A (c) 4 A
(b) -12 A (d) None of these
[Gate 1997: 1 Mark]

Ans. (b)

𝑰 = 𝒊𝟎 + 𝒊𝟏

= 𝟏𝟐𝑨

𝒊𝟒 = −𝟏𝟐𝑨

4. The Voltage V in Figure is equal to

 4V
DC

5V
DC 2 DC 4V

+V-

(a) 3 V (c) 5 V
(b) -3 V (d) None of these
[Gate 1997: 1 Mark]

Ans. (a)

Apply KVL

V+5–4=4

V=4+4–5

= 3V

5. The voltage V in Figure is always equal to

2A 2
+

V DC 5V

-
(a) 9 V (c) 1 V
(b) 5 V (d) None of these

[Gate 1997: 1 Mark]

Ans. (d)

𝑽 = 𝑽𝟐𝑨 + 𝟐 × 𝟐 + 𝟓

= 𝑽𝟐𝑨 + 𝟗

Since the voltage of 2A current source is not known, it is not possible to find the
value of voltage V.

6. The voltage V in Figure is

3
a +

DC
10V DC 5V

b-

(a) 10 V (c) 5 V
(b) 15 V (d) None of the these
[Gate 1997: 1 Mark]

Ans. (a)

7. In the circuit shown in the figure the current iD through the ideal diode (zero cut in
voltage and zero forward resistance) equals
iD
4

10V
DC 4 1 2A

(a) 0 A (c) 1 A
(b) 4 A (d) None of these
[Gate 1997: 3 Marks]
Ans. (c)

Applying the source conversion

2 1

iD
5V
DC DC 2V

𝟓−𝟐
𝒊𝑫 = = 𝟏𝑨𝒎𝒑
𝟑

8. The voltage across the terminals a and b in Figure is

2 a 1

1V 2 3A

b
(a) 0.5 V (c) 3.5 V
(b) 3.0 V (d) 4.0 V
[Gate 1998: 1 Mark]

Ans. (c)

Taking b as reference node and applying KCL at a

𝑽𝒂𝒃 −𝟏 𝑽𝒂𝒃
+ =𝟑
𝟐 𝟐

𝑽𝒂𝒃 − 𝟏 + 𝑽𝒂𝒃 = 𝟔

𝟔+𝟏
𝑽𝒂𝒃 = = 𝟑. 𝟓𝑽
𝟐
 9. In the circuit of the figure, the voltage V(t) is

1 1 1

+
e at V(t) 1H e bt
-

(a) eat - ebt (c) aeat - bebt

(b) eat + ebt (d) aeat + bebt
[Gate 2000: 1 Mark]

Ans. (d)

The voltage v(t) is

𝒅
𝒗(𝒕) = 𝑳 𝒅𝒕 (𝒆𝒂𝒕 + 𝒆𝒃𝒕 )

= 𝒂𝒆𝒂𝒕 + 𝒃𝒆𝒃𝒕

10. For the circuit in the figure, the voltage V0 is

2 2

4V - 2V
2 V0
+

(a) 2 V (c) -1 V
(b) 1 V (d) None of these
[Gate 2000: 2 Marks]
Ans. (d)

Since the diode is forward biased, it is taken as short circuit. Writing KCL
−𝑽𝟎 −𝟒 −𝑽𝟎 −𝑽𝟎 +𝟐
+( )+( )=𝟎
𝟐 𝟐 𝟐

−𝟑𝑽𝟎 − 𝟐 = 𝟎
𝟐
𝑽𝟎 = − 𝟑

11. The voltage e0 in the figure is

4 2

+
12V
4 e0 2

(a) 2 V (c) 4 V
(b) 4/3 V (d) 8 V
[Gate 2001: 2 Marks]

Ans. (c)

Writing KCL
𝒆𝟎 −𝟏𝟐 𝒆𝟎 𝒆𝟎
+ + =𝟎
𝟒 𝟒 𝟒

𝟑𝒆𝟎 = 𝟏𝟐

𝒆𝟎 = 𝟒𝑽
 12. The voltage e0 in the figure is

2
16V
8A
10 12 e0
6

(a) 48 V (c) 36 V
(b) 24 V (d) 28 V [Gate 2001: 2 Mark]
Ans. (d)

Applying the source conversion, the circuit is as shown

10 2

16V +
80V + 12 e0
-
6
-
𝒆𝟎 −𝟖𝟎 𝒆𝟎 −𝟏𝟔 𝒆
Writing KCL + + 𝟏𝟐𝟎 = 𝟎
𝟏𝟐 𝟔

𝟒𝒆𝟎 = 𝟏𝟏𝟐
𝟏𝟏𝟐
𝒆𝟎 = = 𝟐𝟖𝑽
𝟒

13. The dependent current source shown in the figure

I V1 A
V1 = 20V 5
5
 (a) Delivers 80W (c) delivers 40 W
(b) absorbs 80 W (d) absorbs 40 W
[Gate 2002: 1 Mark]

Ans. (a)

Writing KVL
𝑽𝟏
𝑽𝟏 − 𝟓𝑰 − 𝟓 (𝑰 + )=𝟎
𝟓

𝑽𝟏 − 𝟏𝟎𝑰 − 𝑽𝟏 = 𝟎

𝑰=𝟎

Voltage across dependent source =20V

𝟐𝟎
Thus power delivered by it is = 𝟐𝟎 × = 𝟖𝟎𝑾
𝟓

14. The equivalent inductance measured between the terminals 1 and 2 for the circuit shown
in the figure

1 L1 L2

(a) L1 + L2 + M (c) L1 + L2 + 2M
(b) L1 + L2– M (d) L1 + L2 - 2M
[Gate 2004: 1 Mark]

Ans. (d)

The coils are wound in opposite directions, they are series opposing

𝑳𝒆𝒒 = 𝑳𝟏 + 𝑳𝟐 − 𝟐𝑴
 15. Impedance Z as shown in the figure is

j5 j2
L1 L2
j10

j10 L3 j2

Z
(a) j 29 Ω (c) j 19 Ω
(b) j 9 Ω (d) j 39 Ω
[Gate 2005: 2 Marks]

Ans. (b)

Current leaves the dotted terminal of L1 and enters the dotted terminal of L3 so
mutual induction M13 is negative, M23 is positive.

𝒋𝒘𝑳𝒆𝒒 = 𝒋𝟓 + 𝒋𝟐 + 𝒋𝟐 + 𝒋𝟏𝟎 − 𝒋𝟏𝟎 = 𝒋𝟗

16. If R1 = R2 = R4 = R and R3 = 1.1R in the bridge circuit shown in the figure, then the
reading in the ideal voltmeter connected between a and b is

R1 R4
+
10V a b
+ -
- R2 R3

(a) 0.238 V (c) -0.238 V

(b) 0.138 V (d) 1 V
[Gate 2005: 2 Marks]
Ans. (c)
𝟏𝟎.𝑹𝟐
𝑽𝒂 = 𝑹 = 𝟓𝑽
𝟏 +𝑹𝟐

𝟏𝟎.𝑹𝟑 𝟏𝟎×𝟏.𝟏
𝑽𝒃 = 𝑹 = = 𝟓. 𝟐𝟑𝟖
𝟒 +𝑹𝟑 𝟐.𝟏

𝑽𝒂 − 𝑽𝒃 = −𝟎. 𝟐𝟑𝟖𝑽

17. In the circuit shown, the power supply by the voltage source is

1 1
+ 10V
-
1 1A 2A

1
(a) 0 W (c) 10 W
(b) 5 W (d) 100 W
[Gate 2010: 2 Marks]

Ans. (a)

Applying KVL in the outer loop

1 (3+I) I

1 1

3A + 10V
(2+I) 1A -
1 2A

1
 (𝟑 + 𝑰)𝟐 + (𝟐 + 𝑰)𝟐 = 𝟏𝟎

𝟔 + 𝟐𝑰 + 𝟒 + 𝟐𝑰 = 𝟏𝟎

𝟏𝟎 + 𝟒𝑰 = 𝟏𝟎

𝑰=𝟎

Power supplied by the voltage source 𝑷 = 𝑽𝑰 = 𝟎

18. In the circuit shown below, the current I is equal to

j4 - j4
I
+ 6
14 00 V AC
-
6 6

(a) 1.4 ∠00 A (c) 2.8∠00 A

(b) 2.0∠00 A (d) 3.2∠00 A
[Gate 2011: 2 Marks]

Ans. (b)

Converting delta into star the circuit is redrawn as impedance of the circuit is

j4 - j4
I
+
14 00 V AC
-
2

(𝟐 + 𝒋𝟒)‖(𝟐 − 𝒋𝟒) + 𝟐 = 𝟕Ω

𝟏𝟒∠𝟎𝟎
Current 𝑰 = = 𝟐∠𝟎𝟎 𝑨
𝟕
 19. The average power delivered to an impedance (4 – j3)Ω by a current 5 cos (100πt + 100)
A is
(a) 44.2 W (c) 62.5 W
(b) 50 W (d) 125 W
[Gate 2012: 1 Mark]

Ans. (b)

Average power is same as rms power

𝟓 𝟐
𝑷 = 𝑰𝟐𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝑹 = ( ) × 𝟒 = 𝟓𝟎𝑾
√𝟐

20. In the circuit shown below, the current through the inductor is
V1 A
i I1

1 j1
1A
AC 1 00V 1 00V AC
D - - B
+ +

1A
-j1 1

C
2
(a) 𝐴
1+𝑗
−1
(b) 𝐴
1+𝑗
1
(c) 𝐴
1+𝑗
(d) 0 A

[Gate 2012: 1 Mark]

Ans. (C)

In the balanced bridge, the product of opposite arms are equal.

𝒋𝟏 × −𝒋𝟏 = 𝟏 × 𝟏 = 𝟏
 In the balanced bridge, current flowing through the diagonal element is zero.

Applying nodal analysis at top node

𝑽𝟏 +𝟏∠𝟎𝟎 𝑽𝟏 +𝟏∠𝟎𝟎
+ =𝟏
𝟏 𝒋𝟏

𝑽𝟏 𝒋𝟏 + 𝒋𝟏 + 𝑽𝟏 + 𝟏∠𝟎𝟎 = 𝒋𝟏
−𝟏
𝑽𝟏 = 𝟏+𝒋𝟏

−𝟏
𝑽𝟏 +𝟏∠𝟎𝟎 +𝟏 𝒋 𝟏
𝟏+𝒋
𝑰𝟏 = = = (𝟏+𝒋)𝒋 =
𝒋𝟏 𝒋𝟏 𝟏+𝒋

21. Consider a delta connection of resistors and its equivalent star connection as shown
below. If all elements of the delta connection are scaled by a factor k, k> 0, the elements
of the corresponding star equivalent will be scaled by a factor of

Ra RC RB

Rb Rc RA

(a) K2 (c) 1/K

(b) K (d) √𝐾
[Gate 2013: 1 Mark]

Ans. (b)

In the star connection,

𝑹𝒃 𝑹𝒂 𝑹𝒂 𝑹𝒄
𝑹𝒄 = 𝑹 , 𝑹𝑩 = 𝑹
𝒂 +𝑹𝒃 +𝑹𝒄 𝒂 +𝑹𝒃 +𝑹𝒄

𝑹𝒃 .𝑹𝒄
𝑹𝑨 = 𝑹
𝒂 +𝑹𝒃 +𝑹𝒄

If the delta connection components are scaled by a factor K, then the star equivalent
will also be scaled by a factor K
 22. Find the current I in the following branch

5 5

10V I
DC 1A 10

[Gate:2014]

Ans. Using superposition taking 10V source and replacing the current source by its
internal resistance (∞)
𝟏𝟎
𝑰 = 𝟐𝟎 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝑨

Taking current source and replacing voltage source by its internal resistance zero
𝟓 𝟏
𝑰 = 𝟐𝟎 × 𝟏 = 𝟒 𝑨

𝟏 𝟏
Total current 𝑰 = 𝟐 + 𝟒 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟓𝑨

23. A series RC circuit is connected to DC voltage source at time t0=0. The relation between
the source voltage Vs, the resistance R, the capacitance C, the current i(t) is below:
𝑡
1
𝑉𝑠 = 𝑅𝑖(𝑡) + ∫ 𝑖(𝑡)𝑑𝑡
𝐶
0
 i(t) i(t)

(b)
(a)

t t

i(t) i(t)

(c) (d)

t
t

Which one of the following i(t) represents

[Gate:2014]

Ans. (a)

Given

𝒕
𝟏
𝑽𝒔 = 𝑹𝒊(𝒕) + ∫ 𝒊(𝒕)𝒅𝒕
𝑪
𝟎

VS i(t)
DC C

At t = 0 DC source Vs is connected to the RC series network.

Since there is no charge on capacitor initially so, at t = 0 it acts like a short circuit
and the current through the network is
𝑽𝒔
𝒊(𝒕) = 𝑹

then as the capacitor starts charging current starts decreasing at the rate the
capacitor starts charging